Form tie



July 25, 1933. I J. M. WILLARD FORM TIE Filed April 3, 1931 Patented July 25; 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT QFF E."

J QHN M. WILLARD, OF LOS' ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO CRELLIN MACHINE COMPANY- FORM TIE Application filed A ril 3; 193;. Serial 1a. 527,389.

This invention relates to an extremely simple, substantially unitary form of device adapted to be employed as a tie for main taining forms or molds, into which concrete or other cementitious material is to be which is adapted to prevent forms from moving free from each other or away from each other.

A still further object is to disclose and provide a form tie which may be securely attached to a form by means which are integral with the tie.

These and other objects, uses, advantages and characteristics of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the subsequent detailed description of a preferred form of the invention illustrated in the appended drawmg. g

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of wall forms adapted to receive and retain a cementitious material said wall forms being held together in positive spaced relation by means of thetie rod or form tying device of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of one end of the device shown in Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end View of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is an enlarged plan view shown in Fi 2.

I t is to be understood that the device shown in the attached drawing is merely il lustrative of the general construction and mode of operation of the device and that the invention is not limited to the specific form there shown but instead embraces all such changes and modifications as come within the skill of the art.

As shown in Fig. 1, the wall forms may consist of boards or sheathing 10 and 11 between which the concrete or other cementi-' tiousmaterial is to be poured. It is desired to maintain the forms or sheathing and 11 in positive spaced relation so as to produce a wall of-adesired thickness. 'This result is attained by means of the device of this invention which 1s made from a single piece of strap metal consistmg of a body portion 13 and end portions 14 and 15. The

end portions 14% and 15 are preferably inte gralwith the body portion 13 and the end portions 14 and 15 lie in a plane substan-.

tially at right anglesto the plane of the middle body portion'lS. This construction is obtained by twisting the metal strap at two points, such pointsbeingseparated a distance equivalent to the spacing which it is desired to maintain between the forms 10 and 11. y

Asshown in Fig. 2, for eXample,Ithe end portion 14 is substantially horizontal where as the central body portion 13 is substantially vertical. A. shoulder or shoulders .16 and 16 are thus formed by the twist made in the metal of which the device is composed, such shoulder 16 forming a stop.

sheathing 10 and embedded in the form work. Such prongs,

such as for example the prong 17, are p'referably punched out ofand made; integral with the end portions of the devieef For example, the prong 17 may be of triangular form and be punchedout of the end member l i near the edge thereof so as to cause the prong 17 to lie in a plane substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the strap. The prong 17 is preferably provided with one side 18 in alignment with the longitudinal edge of the end portion'l and with an inclined edge 19. Furthermore, preferably two of such prongs are carried by each end portion. For example, prongs 17 and 20 may be carried by the end portion 14, the prongs'17 and 20 being provided with inclined edges 19 and 21 extending fromthe points of such prongs towards each other. When the prongs 18 and 20 are driven into the sheathing, such as for example, the sheathing 10, the inclined faces or edges 19 and 21 cause the prongs 17 and 18 to be pushed apart, thereby assuming the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. When in such expanded position, the entire device is firmly held in the form.

After, the device has been attached to the lower sheathing, such as the sheathing 10, an upper sheathing such as the sheathing member 12 may be placed thereabove. Horizontal movement of the sheathing member 12 may be prevented by the following means:

Each end portion 14; and 15 may be provided with a longitudinal slot or aperture 22, such. longitudinal slot being adapted to receive a wedge-member After the upper sheathing member 12 is placed on the device, the wedge 23 may be inserted into the slot 22 and hammered into place, causing the sheathing members to move against the shoulders 16 and 16', thus firmly connecting and holding the sheathing in place.

The simplicity of the form tie described hereinabove is apparent. It may be manufactured from any suitable metal capable of being manipulated in a punch press to form the end portions l l and 15 in a )lane substantially at right angles to the plane of the central or body portion 13 and produce the shoulders 16 described herein-above at points where the strap is twisted.v The anchoring'prongs 17 are also punched out of the end portions.

Although in Figs. 1 and 2 the wedge 23 is shown in direct contact with the sheathing, it is to be understood that a suitable bearing plate may be slipped over the end portion 1st before the wedge 23 is inserted so that when the wedge 23 is hammered in, it will exert and distribute its pressure through such bearing plate over a greater area on the sheathing. This and numerous other changes may be made, all such changes and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims being embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A form tie made of a' single piece of strap metal having end portions twisted along the longitudinal axis of the metal strap to position said end portions in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the middle body portion at a predetermined distance apart so as to form spreader stops at the points of twisting, and opposed triangular prong members bent out of the opposite edge portions of each of said end members to lie in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said strap adjacent to said point of twisting, said prong members being adapted to enter form boards andhold them in contact with said twisted portion spreader stops.

2. A form tie made of a single piece of strap metal having end portions twisted along the. longitudinal axis of the metal strap to position said end portions in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane or the middle body portion so as to form spreader stops at the points of twisting, and opposed triangular prong members bent out of the opposite edge portions of each oi said end members to lie in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said strap adjacent to said point of twisting, said prong members being provided with opposed edge portions inclined from the points thereof toward each other.

3. In a unitary r'orm tie, the combination of a pieceo'f strap metal having end portions twisted along the longitudinal axis of the metal strap to position said end portions in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the middle body portion so as to form spreader stops at the points of twisting, a longitudinally directed slot in each of said end portions, said slot being adapted to receive a wedge, and opposed triangular prong members carried by each of said end portions, said prong members lying in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said strap adjacent to said point of twist ing, said prong members being provided with opposed edge portions inclined from the points thereof towards each other.

JOHN M. WILLARD. 

